Edenbridge Town Council is delighted to celebrate the success of its first ever apprentice, Kai Day, who has successfully completed his apprenticeship from Plumpton College and will now continue his career as a fully qualified member of the Council’s Grounds Team.
Kai joined the Council in 2023 as a Level 2 Horticultural Operative apprentice, combining his studies with hands-on experience caring for Edenbridge’s parks, playgrounds, sports pitches, Millennium Wood and cemeteries.
Since then, he has become a valued member of the Grounds Team, developing a wide range of practical skills and gaining experience in everything from grass cutting, planting and vegetation management to maintaining sports pitches and other public spaces.
When Kai first joined the Council, he spoke about being proud to look after the town where he had grown up and lived all his life. Now, having successfully completed his qualification, he can look back on two years of learning on the job and contributing to the upkeep of spaces used by residents every day.
During his apprenticeship, Kai particularly enjoyed learning all the Latin names for trees and plants and says one of the most useful things he has gained is his chainsaw maintenance and cross-cutting license as well as his chemical spraying license.
Kai added: “I’m very happy to have finished this qualification and couldn’t have done it without the support of the Council’s Facilities Manager, Craig Open. I’m looking forward to carrying on my role and even the possibility of furthering my education.”
Town Clerk Caroline Leet said: “We’re incredibly pleased to see Kai successfully complete his apprenticeship and continue his career with Edenbridge Town Council. When we welcomed him as our first apprentice, we hoped we could give a young person the opportunity to gain a recognised qualification while developing valuable practical skills alongside an experienced team.
“It’s been wonderful to see Kai develop over the course of his apprenticeship and become an important part of the Grounds Team. His success shows the value apprenticeships can bring both to young people starting their careers and to organisations like ours. We congratulate Kai on his achievement and look forward to seeing him continue to develop in his new role.”
Kai will now continue working with the Grounds Team, helping to care for and maintain Edenbridge’s much-loved open spaces and facilities.